Means for measuring respired air in testing the lungs



- 1,633 3.9 June 21,1927. HBROWN 3 MEANS FOR MEASURING RESPIRED AIR INTESTING THE LUNGS Filed Jan. 31. 1924 2 Sheets-Shoot 1 June 21 1927.

H. BROWN mmus FOR mmsunme RESPIRED AIR IN mswme was wuss Filed Jan. 51.1924 2 Shuts-Shoot 2 Ki l H/l V0 190 0w, 6 bis Ai -fame WWW PatentedJune 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES HAYDN BROWN, LONDON, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR MEASURING RESPIRED AIR IN TESTING THE LUNGS.

Application filed January 31, 1924, Serial No. 689,762, and in GreatBritain February 2, 1923.

My invention has for its principal object to provide implored meanswhereby the condition of the lungs and their action in l)i'0tltlliltf,1'can be very convenient ly and aceu ratelv a certained both as regardstheir capacity and their normal action in breathing and also as to theircondition as regards maximum rcspirats y powers.

According to my invention I utilize displacement of water. or othersuitable liquid, from the lower part. of a receptacle into an observablepart of the :qiparatus in such a way that the user can see that hemaintaining a steady action whilst the expulsion of liquid into ameasurii'ig tube or vessel, (in which such expelled liquid is retained)is employed to show the cap city, or condition, of the lungs of the userwho has breathed into the upper part of the receptacle above the liquidtherein.

I will describe with reference to the accompanying drawing constructionsin accordance with my invention from which its nature and how it may beperformed will be understood. Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections atright angles to each other, the section Figure 1 being taken on the lineA, A Figure 3 and the section Figure 2 being taken on the line C, C,Figure 8. Figure 3 is a plan partly in section on the line It, It,Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the receptacle 1 is capable oi being closedair-tightly by the cover J so that there is, when the said receptacle ispartly filled with water, a space 1" above the water and between it andthe inside ot the said cover. An opening 4 communicates with this spacethrough which opcniiig air is rcspired, for instance, by means ot' aflexible pipe 3 connected with the raid opening by means of a shortrigid pipe -l. 'lhrough the cover 2 I pass the lower part of atransparent tube. 5 which projects downwards into the water in thereceptacle l. and outwards to a sutiicient extent to! observation, itbeing open at the top. The lower part of the said tube 5 passes over aninternal tube (5 which rises from the bottom of the receptacle 1, and,at top, conununb cates with the nterior of the tube there being a spareI) between the tubes 5 and (5, the said tube preferably having anenlarged top, as shown, and a contracted opening 5" in it above the topof the tube (3. The constriction prevents the too rapid rise and tall ofliquid in the tube 5. In the cover L. or other convenient part above thelevel of the liquid in the receptacle 1. there may be (for a purposehcreiiui'l'ter explained) a slot, or opening, by whicu any requiredproportion of the air passed into the said space can be allowed toescape, the proportion being regulated by a valvix or shutter. slot, oropening is illus- HQ a()\ trated at T as being in the tube 4 and thevalre or souttcr, as being a slotted sleeve 8 which can be moved throughpart of a revolution around the tube 4. hen the parts are arranged asabove described for measuring inspiration and expiration the tube 17 isclosed by a plug 2 as shown in Fig. 2. As will be described inter, aperforated plug 26 is sometimes used in the tube 4- at the same timethat the plug 23 is in place.

When air is passed into the aforesaid space 1" above the water in thereceptacle 1, water will pass up through the space 5" between the tubes5 and 6, down through the tube (5 and out through the hole 9 at thebottom of the said tube 6 which passes through the bottom of thereceptacle 1. The said portion of Water is received in a cup. or thelike, 10, in connection with a meas uring tube 11 and thus 1 can measurethe capacity of the lungs by the amount of water passing out of theescape hole 5) in a meas ured period of time. The e1-icapeliole t) ismade relatively small: for example, in apparatus used for the averageperson it. may be, one to two millimeters in diameter. ((71% sequentlyit the user blow hard cnoug h. all the displaced water will not be ableto flow out through the hole 3) immediately and a portion of it willrise up the tube ti and the tube 5 into the transparent part ot the tube5 where its height can be observed. The user, can, by maintaining aneven pressure, cause the water to remain at any predcte"- mined level,which may he inflicatci' by a mark as at 22 and the time during \vhiclthe water will remain at the given level, will depend upon the time theuser can expire air at a steady giieu pressure. hen the user ceases toexpire air, the displrn-erl water still in the tube 5 will flow outthrough the hole 9. If desired. some of the air rcspired may be allowedto escape without acting to force up the water. by opening the aforesaidvalve, or shutter 8, the proportion of air escaping varying with theextent to which it is opened.

In order to measure What is termed tidal breathing (that is not. fullinspiration and expiration. but the amount of air respired in ordinarybreathing) I apply to the cover 2 a receptacle 12 covered by a flexibledialjlil'tlfjlil 13 which leaves a space between itsel't and the saidcover 2 the receptacle 1 having in it a closable hole 1-1 at the bottom.for the outlet of water into the cup 10 and measuring device 11.Communicating with the interior ot' the receptacle 12 are holes 15 and1b torm -ng respectively large and small coinmunications between thespace under the diaphragm 13 the opening 1.3 being provided with a tubet? and mouthpiece (not shown) on a llexihle pipe 18 for respircd air toand from the said receptacle 12. The hole it is in an upstand ng nipplepiece 16. The flexible diaphragm 15} is secured over the holes 15 and 1Gby a ring 1?)" and a ledge 13" so that the only communications with thespace beneath the said diaphragm 13 are through the said holes. Theflexible tube is removed. and the opening at the top of tube '1' isstopped by inserting a rubber cork or any other suitable plug 25 and theshutter 8 is turned to close the slot 7. The tube 5 is removed and isreplaced by a plug 21 to close the opening in the cover 2 and theshutter 14; is moved to open the hole 14 and close the hole S). Thediaphragm 13. when it is drawn down on suction due to inspiration.closes the hole 16. whilst. on eX1' iration. the said diaphragm risessutticiently to allow expired air to pass down into the receptacle 1 andtort-e out through the opening 11 an amount of liquid in accordance withthe number of respirations and their force. The hole 14 tor the outletof water from the receptacle 1 is closed by the shutter 11 and the inlett'or air through the pipe 17 is also closed when the device is not inuse tor measuring tidal breathing.

When it is desired to use the tirst described device to measure theforce of expiration 1 can limit the amount of expired air passed throughthe pipe 1 into the receptacle 1. which may he done by inserting a plug26. with a small hole in it. into the tube 1 through which air isrcspired and. in operation. whil t the user is respiring air. I canregulate the opening I by which some expire-l air can escape withoutentering the water receptacle beneath. and from the degl'te of openingattained when water is observed to ri e in the transparent tube 5 l canascerhain the force of exl'iiration. A convenient means for ettcctingthis is to make the aforesaid escape slot. or opening 7. in the form ofan arc of a circle audits valve. or shutter. 8 as a sleeve ashereinbctore described and to provide the valve. or shutter. 8 with apointer 20 which can be used as the means ot operating the valve. orshutter, 8 and as the indicator for a scale 21 marked in a semicircle orarc. on the cover 2 of the receptacle 1. When air is blown. or expired.forcibly into the receptacle 1 above the water therein. some air escapesand some air passes into the said receptacle in proportion to the degreeof openin of the arc-shaped escape slot, or opening 4 and the force exerted by the lungs can be readily ascertained by watching the water inthe transparent tube 5 and noting on a scale. the point at which thewater is observed to rise beyond the normal level in the said tube.

Although l have descrited the devices as being employed for testing thelungs. they can alvo be employed for any analogous purposes to whichthey may be applicable. and it will be understood that the device(lescribcd for testing the capacity. or power. or the lungs and thedevice described for testing tidal breathing can be used separately orbe combined in one apparatus as illustrated.

hat I claim is:

1. A device for testing the lungs. comprising a vessel adapted tocontain liquid. and tubular means associated with said vesi-el wherebyexpired air is passed into the vessel above the liquid. in combinationwith a volumetric measuring element and tube means within said vesselhaving a relatively small aperture and leading from the liquid in theves-el to said measuring elcment'. said tube means being arranged with avisible portion above the closed vessel so that the variations inpressure on the liquid an be. observed by watching the level of theliquid in the visible portion of the tube means.

2. A device t'or testing the lungs. comprising an air tight vesselhaving therein. at its upper part. a hole and a passage connectedtherewith for respired air. water in said vessel. and a transparent tubeopen at both ends. passing through the upper part of said vessel anddescending into the water. in combination with a second tube rising somedistance into the tirst tube from the bottom of the vessehthe top andbottom parts of the receptacle being provided with openings throughwhich said tubes may extend. and there being a space between the twotubes.

23. A device according to claim 1 in which the means whereby expired airis passed into the ves el includes a tube having an opening thereinadapted to provide inlet for air trout the atmosph re. said tubecoinmuni eating with the space in the upper part ot the vessel. andmeans adapted to regulate the effective area of said opening.substantially as described.

In testimony whercm I have name to this specification.

signed my HA YDN BROlVN.

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